Advertising industry heads have scrapped the theme of this year's Creative Awards after a storm of protest over a promotion that urges Chinese to 'exorcise' foreigners from Hong Kong.
But the defiant chairman of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents of Hong Kong (4As), Jeffrey Yu Pui-man, last night insisted the row was a 'storm in a teacup'.
It also emerged yesterday that a promotional package - which includes vials of 'urine' and a packet of 'saliva' for Chinese to hurl at foreigners - was the brainchild of expatriate Craig Davies.
Mr Davies, advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi's regional creative director for Asia, defended the package, saying it was designed to be humorous and entertaining.
'It was tongue-in-cheek. I think people are taking it too seriously,' he said.
Criticism of the package - sent out ahead of the advertising industry's 2001 Creative Awards or 'Oscars' - continued yesterday after the South China Morning Post revealed the package had urged recipients to 'speak no gwei language, think no gwei thoughts' and includes five charms 'to arm yourself against the gwei [who will] recoil in horror if used properly'.
Human rights and anti-discrimination groups lodged official complaints with the Government, saying it was now time for laws against discrimination.
